Get Losthttp://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost
Get lost with reporter Brian Passey.Sun, 14 Sep 2014 05:41:29 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8Twenty years later: Looking back at how music changed my world in 1994http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/08/24/twenty-years-later-looking-back-at-how-music-changed-my-world-in-1994/
Sun, 24 Aug 2014 23:40:17 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=975Continue reading →]]>Twenty years ago I fell in love with music.

Like anyone else I enjoyed music before that time. My childhood memories have fond recollections not only of particular songs I gravitated toward — Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” Human League’s “Human,” Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing,” Glenn Frey’s “The Heat is On” and anything by Michael Jackson — as well as the music my parents enjoyed, mostly a lot of Fleetwood Mac and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

When I was about 9 or 10 I began my country phase, dominated by a love for anything by Alabama, Reba McEntire and, of course, Garth Brooks. But this was more of a teenage-style love (despite my actual pre-teen age), where my attraction to something new and exciting blinded me from a deeper, more meaningful affection.

Things began to transition in 1993. That was the year my social life changed. A few of my buddies actually became friends with girls. This was unheard of for our socially awkward junior high mentality, but it sure was exciting. They introduced me to their new friends and I began to pull myself away from terror I had felt when associating with girls for the past few years.

As this new group of friends formed, I realized that most of them didn’t really listen to country music. It was all about Top 40 hits, from Ace of Base to Boyz II Men. But the biggest change happened in October of that year as I got my driver license (sunrise to sunset only, per Idaho law, since I was only 15). With little red Chevy S-10 Blazer at my disposal and a tape deck, I began looking for new music.

Some of what I heard on the radio influenced me and I ended up buying new cassettes from artists like Billy Joel and Mariah Carey. But the real revelation came for me when I borrowed some of my dad’s rock cassettes. I enjoyed Whitesnake, Poison and Van Halen, but it was Aerosmith that helped me realize I was truly a rock ‘n’ roll guy. “Get A Grip” was the album that converted me and for the next couple of years I devoured anything and everything Aerosmith.

Still, the evolution continued into the next year. While my interest in Aerosmith was strong, it was really a transitional band for me — my introduction to rock.

I think it all changed when I purchased my first CD player. It was a portable device with one of those cassette attachments to play CD music in a car’s tape deck (revolutionary, I know). My first CD purchase that summer of 1994 was Phil Collins’ “Serious Hits Live.” I kind of wish it wasn’t because my second and third purchases were really more defining albums for me. I actually sold that 1990 live Phil Collins album years ago.

My second album, however, was The Cranberries’ release from the previous year, “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” One of the singles from that album, “Dreams,” is the first song I remember actively listening for on the radio. If the station didn’t play it during the hour we were listening, we would call up and request it. This was what it was like to be obsessed with music.

Bands like The Cranberries had started to pique my interest but I had delayed purchasing albums because I wanted to get a CD player first and buy them in the CD format. Now that I had one, the world was wide open. Obviously, one of my first purchases had to be Pearl Jam’s “Ten.” In addition to the softer side of alternative music espoused by the likes of The Cranberries, I was also drawn to the more aggressive sound of grunge. Although “Ten” was almost three years old by that time, it was a must-have.

My fourth CD showed my enduring loyalty to my favorite band of the time, replacing my dad’s borrowed cassette with a deluxe, faux-cowhide edition of “Get A Grip” on CD. Yet my tastes were already changing. Twenty years later I doubt I’ve listened to that CD version of “Get A Grip” as much as I listened to my dad’s cassette in 1993 and early ’94.

I wasn’t the only one in my family intrigued by alternative rock. My dad had long influenced my musical tastes, from his personal favorite Fleetwood Mac to the hair bands that aided in my country-to-rock transition. But now that he knew I was following music, he began asking me about bands on the radio he liked, including Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day and Toad the Wet Sprocket.

Soon I had signed up for BMG’s music club and was receiving orders of CDs every month. My initial order included Smashing Pumpkins’ “Siamese Dream” (1993), Counting Crows’ “August and Everything After,” Green Day’s “Dookie” (1994) and, unfortunately, Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Cracked Rear View” (1994). Admittedly, by the time the Hootie disc arrived I was already sick of the band and only listened to it a couple of times before selling it to a used CD store.

While other styles would continue to intrigue me throughout 1994 — Big Mountain’s reggae take on Peter Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way” and Warren G.’s “Regulate,” (which I still consider the greatest hip hop song of all time) among them — my focus remained on artists across the alternative rock spectrum, from Lisa Loeb’s more folky, poppy style on “Stay (I Missed You)” to the jokester rock of Crash Test Dummies’ “Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm” to the crunch of Collective Soul’s “Shine.”

Among the releases that year were some absolute obsessions. The first time I heard Beck’s “Loser” I was mystified. It was unlike anything I had ever heard. It was a completely unique voice, unabashedly odd but eminently alluring. The teenage boy in me loved the strange lyrics while the budding music critic in me enjoyed the originality. Having heard Beck perform it live less than two weeks ago — 20 years after it was released — I have to admit I still absolutely love the song.

Other big songs of 1994 came from albums released in previous years, like Gin Blossoms’ “Until I Fall Away” a late-releasing single from the band’s 1992 album, “New Miserable Experience.” A particular favorite was Counting Crows’ “Round Here,” which influenced the inclusion of the band’s 1993 debut, “August and Everything After” in my first order from BMG.

But perhaps the most notable 1994 single from an album released in 1993 was “Disarm” by Smashing Pumpkins. I still remember driving through the Idaho countryside near my home with “Disarm” playing on a local radio station. This was my music. I felt a connection. Something about the emotional fragility of Billy Corgan’s voice connected with my teenage soul. From that moment on I was a huge Smashing Pumpkins fan and they would soon replace Aerosmith as my favorite band.

Only one other band would challenge Smashing Pumpkins for that title through my high school years. One of the reasons “Ten” was the third CD I bought was a simple love of Eddie Vedder’s voice. There was something surreal about its textures, from the smoothness of his baritone on “Black” to its soaring qualities on “Jeremy.” At some point I picked up the band’s second album, “Vs.,” and singles like “Daughter” intrigued me while deeper album tracks like “Rearviewmirror” excited me with their ferocity. Yet “Vs.” didn’t quite stand up to “Ten” in my book.

Then along came “Vitalogy” near the end of 1994. It’s the first CD I remember buying that came in paper packaging rather than the typical plastic jewel cases. That’s because Pearl Jam was going for an old-school, vinyl record look. It even released the album on vinyl two weeks before the CD version. The packaging entranced me and influenced my love for albums as a package, not just a collection of songs but also the lyrics and liner notes that accompany them. That’s why I still purchase CDs and vinyl records today rather than downloading digital tracks.

While Pearl Jam was my favorite band from the grunge movement, 1994 saw releases by a few other bands that I really liked as well. Stone Temple Pilots were often criticized as Pearl Jam knockoffs but I never really saw the comparison (at least compared to future imitators like Creed … ugh). The Pilots’ 1994 album “Purple” helped set them apart with tuneful ruminations like “Vasoline,” “Big Empty” and “Interstate Love Song.”

Soundgarden’s “Superunknown” introduced me to the harder, almost metal side of grunge. I had to be in a serious, maybe even dark, mood to really get into it, but I was a teenager, after all. It was the perfect album for those moments of angst.

But looking back now at 1994 it’s easy to name my favorite alternative rock album from that year: “Unplugged in New York” by Nirvana. I have to admit I was unfamiliar with Nirvana’s music before Kurt Cobain’s suicide on April 5, 1994. After learning about him, I decided to check out his music but didn’t get around to buying anything until this Unplugged album came out seven months later. So it’s odd that my introduction to Nirvana was an acoustic one, yet it’s fitting that it was the band’s best album. Sure, it didn’t have “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which would later become the rock anthem of my high school years, but it proved that behind the grunge movement were truly talented musicians, capable of creating agonizing beauty. It’s best on display at the end of the album as Cobain takes the band from the melodic bliss of “All Apologies” to the tortured wails of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.”

Other notable 1994 alt rock albums introduced me to different styles of music. The aforementioned “Dookie” led me to explore punk rock a bit, though admittedly I never got into the hardcore stuff. Oasis’ “Definitely Maybe” brought me in on the burgeoning Britpop scene.

And others broadened the spectrum of what I expected from alternative rock. Live’s “Throwing Copper” mesmerized me with its eerie mysticism. And The Cranberries’ sophomore album, “No Need To Argue,” proved that dreamy alt-pop could coexist on the same on the album as hard-hitting protest rock.

Yet the second-most iconic album of 1994 for me was Weezer’s self-titled debut, now popularly known as “The Blue Album.” Similar to “Loser,” “Undone — The Sweater Song” was unlike anything I had ever heard. It was like Rivers Cuomo was telling a story at a party, backed by crunching guitars and irresistible hooks. When I purchased “The Blue Album” I knew Weezer would become one of my favorite bands. Now, 20 years later, I have to admit I still love Weezer, even though much of the band’s post-2001 output has been disappointing.

Rounding out my top three albums of 1994 is one that took some time to grow on me. I really liked a few tracks off of Toad the Wet Sprocket’s “Dulcinea” when it was released and I knew I loved Glen Phillip’s voice and how it lilted over the notes in songs like “Fly From Heaven,” “Something’s Always Wrong” and “Fall Down” but it took me going back and purchasing the band’s previous albums to really fall in love with what they were creating. Still, “Dulcinea” remains my favorite album by Toad and within a few years, by the time I graduated from high school, Toad had become my favorite band.

While that love has diminished a bit in recent years, Toad and other discoveries of 1994 like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Weezer and Beck remain among my favorite musicians. Their music will forever mark a defining point in my life where music became an obsession, not just a casual enjoyment.

Alternative rock may have dominated 1994 for my 15/16-year old ears, but my two favorite albums of that year were actually the products of classic rock. It was the year I discovered Pink Floyd through “Division Bell,” the band’s last studio album (until “The Endless River” releases later this year). That opened a whole new world for me and encouraged me to seek out other classic rockers besides my parents’ favorites. In fact, my dad had never been into Pink Floyd until “The Division Bell” either.

The other major release from a classic rock musician that year was Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers.” Although Petty got his beginnings in the 1970s, “Wildflowers” became a seminal ‘90s album for me and the only album to rival The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” as my favorite album of all time. To this day I still go back and forth between which one is my favorite. One thing is for certain, I rarely go on a roadtrip without “Wildflowers” along for the ride.

Albums like these are the reason I still buy more than 100 new releases every year. They also mark a special time in my life. I look back at myself in junior high, when I was a painfully shy, country music-listening and comic book-reading geek, and compare it to my high school self, a vibrantly social, alt-rock loving and photo-taking geek and marvel at the transition. When talking about 1993 I often say something like, “I started driving and discovered girls and rock ‘n’ roll and nothing has ever been the same.”

It wasn’t just the music. A great group of friends and a state that allows 15-year-olds to drive had something to do with it as well. It may have started in 1993 but the transition became complete in 1994. I began that year with a driver license in hand, girls who wanted rides home after school and a mind ready to be blown by the sounds of Eddie Vedder, Beck Hansen, Rivers Cuomo, Kurt Cobain and Dolores O’Riodan.

Brian’s Top 10 Albums of 1994

10. “Superunknown” by Soundgarden

9. “Mellow Gold” by Beck

8. “Dookie” by Green Day

7. “No Need to Argue” by The Cranberries

6. “Vitalogy” by Pearl Jam

5. “Dulcinea” by Toad the Wet Sprocket

4. “Weezer” (The Blue Album) by Weezer

3. “Unplugged in New York” by Nirvana

2. “Division Bell” by Pink Floyd

1. “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty

* OOPS — I knew I would forget a major album of my 1994 and I did. There may be others but I definitely have to mention R.E.M.’s “Monster.” While it didn’t move me as much as “Out of Time” and “Automatic for the People,” “Monster” was still a great album that gave a harder edge to R.E.M., proving these ’80s holdovers could hold their own with the likes of Nirvana. I would probably put it at No. 7 on my list of 1994 albums, pushing everything else up a notch and knocking “Superunknown” out of the top 10.

* UPDATE (Sept. 13) — I’ve created a Spotify playlist with some of my favorite songs from 1994 (many of them mentioned above). To listen click here.

]]>Three days of awesomeness and musichttp://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/07/30/three-days-of-awesomeness-and-music/
Wed, 30 Jul 2014 05:29:37 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=963Continue reading →]]>Sometimes great music hits in waves. It was like that last weekend.

It began with an appearance by Groovefest favorite Hymn for Her at Groovacious, returning to Cedar City two years after their last appearance at Groovefest 2012. The duo of Lucy Tight and Wayne Waxing create a massive sound, even though there is only two of them.

Part of the sound is the distinctive cigar box guitar, usually played by Lucy while Wayne traded off between acoustic guitar and banjo while keeping beat on a kick drum and occasionally blowing on the harmonica. They pounded their way through old favorites like “Fiddlesticks” and groovy newer material like “Mojave.”

Then their daughter, Arrow, took the stage and stole the show. She sang an adorable rendition of “It’s Only A Paper Moon” backed by her parents. While it was difficult to match that, Lucy and Wayne managed to keep things rocking with a ferocious “Hi-Ho, Silver, Away” and a killer new song, “Shine.”

For the encore, Lucy and Wayne switched instruments, with Wayne taking over the cigar box for a moody, final song, beginning softly and slowly before an intense explosion of sound.

Campfire Concert in the Canyon

Next up was a return to Cedar City the following day for the July Campfire Concert in the Canyon where a trio of local singers provided a fascinating variety of music.

First up was Blackhawk Walters, who played music and told stories, including one about a talking turtle, complete with turtle puppet (above).

As the light dimmed, the setting sun illuminated the clouds, creating a magical setting as Blackhawk’s brother, Raven Cain, brought some outlaw country to the canyon. Finally, Pier Allred finished things off with her soulful voice and vivid songwriting.

Trevor Green in Springdale

Both nights in Cedar City were enjoyable but Saturday night brought an even more spectacular show as another past Groovefest favorite, Trevor Green, took the massive O.C. Tanner Amphitheater stage in Springdale.

The multi-instrumentalist, known for his world music vibe and didgeridoo trio, has previously played in Springdale a couple of times but it was his first time at the Tanner in the shadow of Zion’s majestically looming cliffs. He might have looked a bit out of place all alone on the huge stage but his sound more than made up for it as it bounced off the cliffs and filled the canyon.

As the sky darkened the concert only improved. Bats flitted through the air as Green performed his inventive covers and a few covers like Tom Petty’s Running Down a Dream,” which was so different from the original it was barely recognizable until the chorus. Meanwhile his addictive rhythms drew kids and adults alike to the dancing area in front of the stage.

While he was the only one making music on stage, Green did have a little help with the show as three native dancers joined him to add to the magic. Yet it was Green himself who continued to mystify, especially during one song where he used all four limbs and his mouth on a percussion-heavy number, playing a shaker with one hand, a hand drum with the other, a box drum with one leg, chimes with the other — all while mystifying us with that beautiful, elegiac and majestic droning of the didgeridoo. A few times during the show he called it the Tanner a “magical space” and I have to agree. Everything about the show was magical.

]]>2014 St. George Contemporary Dance Concerthttp://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/06/14/2014-st-george-contemporary-dance-concert/
Sat, 14 Jun 2014 15:01:46 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=928Continue reading →]]>On Thursday night I had the opportunity to photograph a rehearsal for this year’s Contemporary Dance Concert presented by St. George Dance Company at Dixie State University’s Cox Auditorium. It’s a collection of 15 pieces by 13 choreographers — most from right here in southwest Utah — under the direction of Summer Belnap Robertson, director of St. George Dance Company.

One night of the concert is already over but it will continue at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Saturday) at the Cox Auditorium. Admission is only $5 per person and it provides a great opportunity to support the local arts. Here are a couple of photos from each dance so you’ll know what to expect.

]]>Spring music in reviewhttp://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/05/15/spring-music-in-review/
Thu, 15 May 2014 20:36:15 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=897Continue reading →]]>It’s been so busy lately I haven’t been able to keep up with blogs on the various events I’ve attended in recent weeks, so I’m going to give it a try here with three of them: the Sean Rowe concert at Groovacious in Cedar City, the Wilderness Fest at Confluence Park in LaVerkin and the debut performance of Many Miles at SUSWA’s Ancestor Square Concert Series in St. George.

So, first up was Sean Rowe. I was familiar with his name when Groovacious owner Tim Cretsinger said he was coming in concert so I checked out his music online. I loved it within minutes. His baritone captivated me and I knew I had to see his show.

Rowe is currently on a house concert tour so most of his venues are actually homes of his fans. Normally he plays larger clubs and theaters, but he wanted a more intimate tour this time around. Although Groovacious is a store, it definitely fit the intimate nature of the tour. Personally, I love the atmosphere of concerts at Groovacious.

The intimate atmosphere also lent itself to storytelling as Rowe shared his experiences from the tour, the stories behind his songs and details about his family, including his young son.

He also rocked out. While his vocals drew me in, his explosive, yet intricate guitar work also kept my attention.

And he played harmonica on a few songs as well.

Even his whispers had gravitas. He also injected a little humor into the night when he became self-conscious of the poster of Sir Paul McCartney hanging near the stage. “Paul’s just staring at me the whole damn time,” Rowe said. “I’m doing my best up here, Paul.” Rowe shouldn’t have worried so much. Even though I had only heard a few songs of his briefly before the concert, it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while. I became an instant fan.

Next up was the Wilderness Fest, a great idea that was unfortunately interrupted by a nasty little windstorm. Still, it had a lot of great components for those who braved the breeze to hear from people like Brad Petersen, Utah’s first director of Outdoor Recreation.

I didn’t even realize there was a music component to the festival until I arrived and saw Sala, one of my favorite local performers in the crowd. She started off the entertainment and played some excellent covers, ranging from Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” to John Legend’s “All Of Me.”

The wind really started to kick up during Sala’s set so she answered back with a brilliant take on the early ’90s country song “Seminole Wind.”

As Sala played I continued to explore the Wilderness Fest. It was fun to see an old friend, Tank the Tortoise, again at the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve booth. He’s the big one on the left and Tater Tot is the little one on the right.

It was also cool to see a Gila monster up close. I’ve never come across one in the wild, which is both good and bad. They are the only lizard poisonous to humans in this area but I sure would love to photograph the rare creature in its natural habitat.

Many of the booths featured activities for kids. Here Mike Satter of Grand Staircase-Escalante Partners is showing a boy how to make fossil molds.

Other booths provided useful information for all ages. The Back Country Horsemen of Utah talked about the principle of packing out whatever you back into the back country. Plus, they just looked really cool.

Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument used a model to illustrate how quickly a storm in a higher elevation can cause flash flooding in slot canyons downstream.

Scenic photographer Charles Wood, who has a gallery at Kayenta’s Coyote Gulch Art Village in Ivins, provided a photography workshop.

There was even a pack mule demonstration.

I ended my Wilderness Fest experience with a new musical discovery. The music of Jason Tyler Burton captured my attention so quickly that I had to go and ask emcee Gordon Strang about him. I had a chance to talk with Burton briefly between songs and found out that he’s from Kentucky, is fairly new to Southern Utah and will soon be releasing an album. I also heard he’s going to be playing at Groovefest this year, so I’m definitely going to try and catch him again.

That finally brings us to Many Miles, a new band comprising some familiar names. When I first heard Dave Tate and Victoria Lagerström, two of my other favorite local singer-songwriters, were collaborating with the brilliant musicians Ryan Tilby and Steve Lemmon, I knew I had to check out this new project.

Plus, I’m always up for a show at Ancestor Square. It’s a great venue — intimate for an outdoor show and filled with the great smells of the surrounding restaurants like Benja Thai & Sushi, The Painted Pony, The Pizza Factory, The Pasta Factory and George’s Corner.

Because I’ve followed the music of Victoria (left) and Dave (center) for a few years now, I was familiar with some of the songs but it was especially intriguing to hear them with a full band.

Ryan, in particular, added a lot to their sound as his electric guitar brought new layers to the music.

As owner of Spiral Studios, Steve is one of those all-around musicians that seems to be able to play just about anything. This five-string bass he had for the show was especially beautiful.

I had heard drummer Chris Flaig’s name before but I wasn’t familiar with him before the show. His subtle beats added some muscle to the music.

I also wasn’t familiar with Marco Blackmore but I loved what he brought to the group with his saxophone, which really added to the overall sound. It worked especially well with Victoria’s more soulful tunes.

Originally from Sweden, Victoria has a great love for American soul music like the songs of Gladys Knight. It comes through in her own songs, which have elements of soul and jazz as well as folk and pop. It was especially nice to hear some of the songs from her past albums performed as they are on the albums, with a full band.

And the musical brilliance of Victoria’s husband, Dave Tate, kept it all together. I don’t use the word “beautiful” often to describe male vocals, but there’s no more appropriate word for Dave’s voice. Plus, and he plays a mean guitar too. I’m definitely going to be hitting up a few more Many Miles shows in the near future.

Until then, SUSWA’s Ancestor Square Concert Series continues with a show at 7 p.m. tonight featuring The Lawn Darts.

There’s a new book out called “Art of the National Parks.” It celebrates the role art played in the creation of many national parks. Split Rock Gallery at Ancestor Square in St. George opened a new show featuring eight of the artists from the book, six of whom painted for the Zion National Park section, one who painted for the Grand Canyon section and one who painted for the Rocky Mountain National Park section.

Roland Lee (top) and Royden Card

Kathryn Stats (left)

John Cogan (right)

Ron Rencher (left)

Joshua Been and Arlene Braithwaite

Linda Glover Gooch

Jim Milestone, (above), acting superintendent of Zion National Park also attended the reception, as did other members of the Zion staff.

Lyman Hafen, right, of the Zion National Park Foundation was also there along with other foundation members.

While the artists were the big attraction, the book itself also managed to capture the attention of many at the reception.

Even St. George Mayor Jon Pike showed up and spent some time talking with painter Royden Card.

The artists planned to stick around Saturday and paint from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ancestor Square. However, the show will continue at Split Rock Gallery, inside the Tower Building (and on the same floor as The Painted Pony) through May 17. Sale proceeds benefit the Zion National Park Youth Education Initiative. For information call the Zion National Park Foundation at 435-772-3264.

]]>Tuacahn Twang: From Willie to Vincehttp://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/04/21/tuacahn-twang-from-willie-to-vince/
Mon, 21 Apr 2014 08:09:24 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=846Continue reading →]]>It’s been a few weeks since the legendary Willie Nelson stopped by the Tuacahn Amphitheater and more than a week since Amy Grant and Vince Gill hit the same stage but it’s been a busy time so I’m just now getting around to blogging about the shows.

I’m a music fan in general and like at least some artists in practically every genre. While I’m fairly picky about contemporary country, I do quite enjoy the classic country sound — the real country music, from Hank Williams to Patsy Cline to Johnny Cash. Yet Willie is my favorite. He’s not just my favorite country singer, he’s my favorite singer — period.

That’s why it was exciting to just see Trigger, the guitar Willie has played for decades, as it sat on the Tuacahn stage, waiting for the show to begin on March 28.

From the first notes of “Whiskey River” it was one hit after another. Willie played to the crowd, pointing to those who waved at him and returning their love with that signature Willie grin. He encouraged the audience to sing along with “Beer For My Horses” and tore through “Good Hearted Woman,” paying tribute to Waylon Jennings in the process.

“Crazy” is easily my favorite Willie song that he actually wrote. It’s one of those songs that truly shows off his unique vocal stylings, and he changed his lyrical phrasings even more when performing it live. Yet he also impressed me quite a bit with another of his own songs, “Night Life,” tearing into a bluesy lick on Trigger after delivering the line, “Listen to the blues they’re playin’.”

He still managed to load “Me and Paul” full of humor after all these years while Trigger did the heavy lifting on “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Trigger is the rare instrument that is almost like another band member up on stage. The guitar seems to have a bit of a character of its own.

After Willie’s voice and Trigger, the other key element to Willie’s sound is Mickey Raphael’s harmonica. It added some gravity to “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” before Willie hit his signature song, “On The Road Again.”

As fun as “On The Road Again” was, Willie easily outdid himself on the very next song. “Always On My Mind” is one of my favorite songs and Willie is my favorite singer, so obviously his version of the classic track is must-see live. And it was absolutely gorgeous — easily one of the best live performances I’ve ever heard.

Then he almost matched it just two songs later with a stunning take on “Georgia On My Mind.” Willie’s voice was remarkably strong and clear for a man in his early ’80s and a soulful harmonica solo from Mickey sealed the deal.

Even as Willie strayed into less popular cuts about 20 songs into the set there was never a dull moment. Everyone on stage brought their A-game and Willie brought the crowd along, pointing a microphone at the audience for the occasional call and response.

As on as Willie was through the show, he did forget lines to a couple of songs — but it was 25 songs into the set by then. It’s easy to forgive an octogenarian musician for something so minor considering the otherwise brilliant nature of his show. He remedied the problem by taking on some gospel numbers he knew by heart.

Finally, 31 songs into the set Willie called it quits. As his band continued to jam, he came to the front of the stage to greet fans and sign various items for them.

As he walked along the front of the stage I was able to get in a half-second handshake. It was enough for me. I shook the hand of my favorite singer.

But I have to admit I was a bit jealous when one fan handed a guitar to Willie to sign. Now that would be a souvenir.

AMY GRANT and VINCE GILL

While it will forever be difficult to match the experience of seeing Willie Nelson up close at a venue as spectacular as Tuacahn, I have to admit the Amy Grant and Vince Gill concert on April 11 was pretty great.

We started the evening out with a meet and greet backstage, where my friend Brooke and I were able to say hi to the couple and get our picture taken with them. I had previously interviewed Amy by phone and was pleasantly surprised to find she was just as sincere in person.

I was a bit surprised when Vince ambled out on stage dressed the same way he was for hte meet and greet. Before the show it looked like he had just woken up or something. I figured he would change before the concert, but he didn’t. So he came out looking as if he was on vacation in Hawaii. “I heard it was casual Friday,” he said to laughter from the crowd, and so the Vince Gill comedy hour began.

Humor seemed to come naturally to him. After kicking things off with “One More Last Chance” he rejoiced: “What a great night. I already got Amy Grant singing drinkin’ songs.”

Amy also got some laughs when she asked her husband if he was hydrating to beat the dry desert air. “Yes, dear; I’m hydrating,” he replied with smile before proving it with a gorgeous version of “I Still Believe In You.” That song in turn prompts a story from Amy about how she was obsessed with Vince’s voice before she ever met him. “I meet women and they say, ‘I’m so crazy about your husband,'” Amy said. “And I say, ‘I get it.'”

In addition to the music and the humor, what made the concert so great was the storytelling aspect of the show. It wasn’t just a concert but a history of their lives, including the moment they first met when recording “House of Love.” It was the duet that would eventually lead to their marriage and they ended the song with a kiss. Even that tender moment prompted some Vince humor as he told the crowd that he was just needed to sing the high part. “Life is perfect — sing the high part, get a kiss,” he says. “I’m the dude who sings like a lady. I have my whole life. But I live in a nice house because of it.”

Although Vince and Amy performed well together, adding harmonies to each other’s songs, they do come different genre backgrounds. She’s a Christian pop singer and he plays country music. Yet the band seemed to take on more of Vince’s country sound, especially with the killer pedal steel sounds of Paul Franklin along for the ride. Amy said it was the first time she had a pedal steel player on her songs, calling the often-mournful sounding instrument “pretty dreamy.”

The pedal steel was especially interesting on pop nuggets like Amy’s “Lucky One,” where it sounded anything but the mournful. And the song had another country music connection: Right before they performed it, Vince had been showing off his Willie Nelson impersonation. Then in the midst of “Lucky One,” Amy forgot the lyrics and apologized, saying, “I was thinking of Willie Nelson.” For those who had been to Willie’s show two weeks earlier, it was a pretty funny moment.

Before they ended the first half of the show, they each signed off with a big hit. Vince sang a fun, upbeat version of “Don’t Let Our Love Stop Slippin’ Away” while Amy went with a playful “Baby Baby.” Then they left the stage hand-in-hand for a quick intermission.

When they returned to the stage, Vince was in top storytelling mode again. He started off by describing his father, who was a “lawyer by trade but unfortunately a redneck by birth.” He then dedicated “The Key To Life” to his father.

While Vince waxed nostalgic about his early years, Amy went back to her Christian roots. She was in awe of Tuacahn’s setting the entire show and it was obvious as she soaked in her surroundings. “What a magical night,” she said. “Let’s take a moment and put the focus on the one who made it.” Then she performed her prettiest song of the evening, the deeply spiritual “El Shaddai” with a chorus of crickets backing her up.

Of course, it couldn’t get too serious without Vince pulling out a joke or two. He mentioned how Amy grew up playing churches while he cut his musical teeth at the juke joints. “I’d liquor ’em up on Saturday night and she’d save ’em on Sunday morning,” he said. Still, he had his own tender moments, singing “Whenever You Come Around,” a song he wrote after meeting his future wife.

The stories faded a bit as they entered the final quarter of the show, but the level of musicianship did not. Vince pulled out “Pretty Little Adriana” — just one of the many songs where he showed off his virtuoso guitar skills. Paul Franklin also added some excellent pedal steel to the mix.

Finally they ended the night with Amy’s ballad, “I Will Remember You,” the perfect closer and she finished strong. Then husband and wife left the stage, hand-in-hand once again. They did, however, return for a couple of high-energy encore numbers leaving the audience on a music high.

]]>Tuacahn High School presents ‘South Pacific’http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/04/20/tuacahn-high-school-presents-south-pacific/
Sun, 20 Apr 2014 07:36:36 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=842Continue reading →]]>Through the years I’ve seen quite a few professional musicals at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre but I had never made it out to one of Tuacahn High School’s productions. I now have a motivating factor because Jeremiah, the boy I mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters, is a Tuacahn High School student and has been working as part of the tech crew for various school productions.

When I found out Jeremiah was going to be running a spotlight for “South Pacific” I knew I finally needed to check out a Tuacahn High School production. Although I’ve seen a variety of musicals through the years (“Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Miserables” in London, “Wicked” in St. Louis, many more here in Southern Utah at Tuacahn and the Utah Shakespeare Festival), I had never actually seen “South Pacific.”

I arrived in time to visit Jeremiah briefly before the show. His spotlight was set up at stage right and you can barely see him at the bottom-left corner of the photo above, perched on top of the faux sandstone formation at the side of the stage.

Needless to say, I definitely paid more attention to the lighting in this production than I normally do. While I have critiqued overall lighting before, I’ve never studied the spotlight the way I did Saturday night. I realized how important it is for the spotlight operators to be ready for their cues and to try and illuminate their subjects in unison, while also keeping a steady hand as they move the light to follow their subjects across the stage.

When I wasn’t analyzing the spotlight, though, I took time to actually enjoy the storyline, music and acting as well. I was immediately impressed with the orchestra as they kicked things off with the prelude music. They sounded lovely. However, I was annoyed with how much crowd noise remained during this prelude. It was technically the start of the production, yet many people continued to talk at full volume as the orchestra played. Some might expect that of kids or teens at the show, but when I looked around to see who was making all the noise it was parents and grandparents. Maybe their students were actors so they didn’t feel as if it was important to be quiet for the parents and grandparents of the musicians in the orchestra.

OK, rant over.

Once the theatrics got underway, I was happily surprised with the professionalism exhibited by these high school students on stage. Especially dazzling were the two leads, Zaylee B. Ford as Ensign Nellie Forbush and Noah Wilson as Emile De Becque. There were many instances when these who were on stage that I forgot I was watching a high school production. Both had strong, pleasant singing voices (Wilson even sang with an accent) and their acting was also above-average for a high school production as they found genuine emotion at times. A high point was their performance of “Some Enchanted Evening” shortly before the intermission.

I also enjoyed watching Yoenid Rivera as Bloody Mary and Brenden Gourley as Luther Bills. They both brought quite a bit of humor to the production (especially Gourley’s contributions to “Honey Bun”). Rivera also brought some drama and beauty to the evening with her performance of “Bali Ha’i.”

Overall it was an enjoyable show and I finally got a chance to see “South Pacific.” It was also fun seeing Jeremiah work. At intermission I went up to talk with him again. Standing there on top of that faux rock formation I felt that same sense of almost father-like pride I’ve had at other moments in Jeremiah’s life. I’m so glad I made the decision to attend the production and support him. I’m sorry I’ve missed out on a few others in the past. Now I have a motivating factor to try and hit a few more before he graduates in two years.

]]>New Visions Art Show 2014http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/04/18/new-visions-art-show-2014/
Fri, 18 Apr 2014 06:51:57 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=817Continue reading →]]>The New Visions Art Show is in its seventh year now but 2014 marks the first time it has been held Easter Weekend in Ancestor Square. Presented by Authentique and The Mission galleries, New Visions features local and national artists who show their work at the two St. George galleries, both of which are located on Ancestor Square.

The first day of New Visions kicked off at 10 a.m. Thursday and ran until 8 p.m. Friday’s show begins at 8 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m. On Friday the artists will each paint a piece to be auctioned off at 2 p.m.

Before the show began, gallery owner Jane Bell Meyer (above, in purple) gathered the artists for a quick meeting outside Authentique.

Following the meeting I wandered over to the Ancestor Square Courtyard where Simon Winegar (above) was already taking in the gorgeous spring day with a little sketch by the creek.

In front of The Mission Gallery I spoke with Stephen Datz (above), the man behind one of my favorite paintings of the day and one of the few non-Utah artists. Datz lives in Grand Junction, Colo.

However, I have to admit my favorite part of the morning came as I picked up the latest addition to my humble art collection, an original painting by one of my favorite artists, J. Kirk Richards. “Cristo CCLXXVI (Golden Shroud)” is part of a series of small portraits of Christ that Kirk painted recently. Thank you, tax return.

Speaking of favorite artists, I ended my morning visit to the show with two of my favorite sculptors, Ben Hammond (above) and Annette Everett. However, Ben threw me off by pulling out a paintbrush and taking on the Ancestor Square scenery.

Meanwhile, Annette gathered a few kids for a demonstration of the various stages of sculpting. It was a pretty adorable moment. Below are a few more photos of some of the artists painting throughout Thursday morning.

Michael Malm

Shanna Kunz

Rachel Pettit

Greg Sheibel

Robert McFarland

Elizabeth Robbins

After an excellent hike along the Red Mountain Trail to the Snow Canyon Overlook I returned to the art show around 7 p.m. and caught Jeffrey Pugh (above) mid-sketch. I just met Jeff in January during the Arts to Zion Studio Tour. His work had gradually been growing on me for the past year or so, but after getting to know him in January I fell in love with his brightly colored pastoral work.

Casey Childs was a new discovery for me. When I photographed him earlier in the morning (above), I barely paid attention to what he was sketching out.

But when I returned in the evening, I was amazed by the figure he had finished that day. I never used to like paintings of people but artists like Casey are helping me to change my tastes. I’m going to start watching his work.

I’ve known Annie Henrie’s (above) work for about a year now and her warm color pallet has always drawn me in. Her sunburned arm is evidence of the dedication these artists had as they withstood the strong spring sun and a fairly warm day to create in front of us.

Speaking of sunshine, my day always seems sunnier if I have a chance to talk to Julie Rogers (above). I included her in a story about LDS art a few months ago and had a chance to get to know her while she hung a show at St. George Temple Visitor Center. However, she put the pressure on me Thursday night by asking my advice on a painting. If she had seen the poor quality of work I produced in my high school art classes I’m not sure she would have thought my opinion was worth anything.

Now I’m preparing to return again in the morning. There are still a few artists I haven’t photographed and I’m especially excited to meet Rett Ashby, whose work I’ve admired since last year. Somehow I missed him on Thursday. But I did snap a few other artists shown below.

David Koch

Steven Lee Adams

Mark Fehlman

George Handrahan

]]>Rocking for the Father of the Groovehttp://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/02/14/rocking-for-the-father-of-the-groove/
Fri, 14 Feb 2014 08:24:19 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=785Continue reading →]]>In recent weeks the Southern Utah music community has come together for the Father of the Groove, Tim Cretsinger, owner of Groovacious in Cedar City and founder of Groovefest. Tim has often invited St. George musicians to play the second stage of Groovefest alongside their Cedar City brothers and sisters in an effort to better integrate the Southern Utah music scene. Last Friday showed the fruits of that effort as some of those musicians — and others from much farther away from Cedar than St. George — gave back to Tim, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in December. You can still donate here or at any local Mountain America Credit Union.

As music fans and friends of Tim arrived at Jazzy’s Rock N Roll Grill, they immediately had the chance to help by purchasing goods at a bake sale outside the venue. I picked up an excellent blood orange brownie and a scrumptious peanut butter bar made by singer-songwriter Lyndy Butler.

The first performer of the night was House of Sons, a young trio that surprised the crowd with their bluesy hard rock.

I had a chance to catch up with my former editor and mentor, Ed Kociela, who got to know Tim while serving as the Cedar City bureau chief for The Daily News.

Although I knew Ed played music as well, most of my musical interactions with him in the past were discussing music and his time as a music critic in Los Angeles. So it was fun to actually see him play some old classics.

Musician and promoter Gordon Strang was one of many organizers who put the fundraiser together. He is shown here announcing the winner of a drawing for a guitar.

Although Beans N Wheels is still fairly new to the Southern Utah music scene, they had a chance to play the second stage at Groovefest 2013 so they gave back with a harmonious performance at the fundraiser.

Another Groovefest 2013 second stage act was Lyonhead, a collaboration between guitarist Jared Johnson (formerly of Jared and the Jackpines, The Trigger Locks and Sundive) and Alice Ericksen (vocalist for Soul What?! and Middle of the Road as well as a member of John Houston’s Gospel Choir). They were the talk of Groovefest but have mostly concentrated on recording in the months since the festival so this was only their second performance.

I was mega-excited to see Lyonhead again after their stellar 20-minute set at Groovefest and Friday’s collection of all-original tunes did not disappoint. Jared has a reputation as one of Southern Utah’s best guitar players and he lived up to it.

And Alice is known as a powerhouse vocalist. She always brings her A-game and she outdid herself at the benefit. As a longtime friend of Tim’s, it seemed as if she was singing her heart out for him.

Making me even more excited for the event was the addition of Sala Tumanuvao to the lineup. I’ve become a big fan of Sala in recent weeks, catching three of her high-energy sets. Not only does she have a powerful voice, she brings the same passion to her fun, covers-heavy sets that she does to her own original songs. Sala has played the second stage at Groovefest multiple times and credits Tim with giving her the confidence to perform for others. Plus, she has Alice Ericksen as a performance coach and it shows.

However, rather than performing with the usual suspects of her group, Saluka, Sala instead teamed up with Edgar Campos, who is locally known for his own musical projects.

Closing out the night was a double set from The Shakers, a Los Angeles band that calls Southern Utah its second home. They’ve got to know Tim as well through their multiple performances in the region so they offered to make the long drive from Southern California to headline the fundraiser.

Part of the band’s success comes from the tight-knit cohesion they have as a band, especially between guitarist/backing vocalist Chris Lee and singer Jodie Schell.

The intensity of Jodie’s Gwen-Stefani-meets-Robert-Plant vocal stylings are an immediate draw. But she’s also a lot of fun to watch as she performs, especially with her always creative hand and arm gestures.

She’s part of the reason why The Shakers are one of my favorite bands to photograph. Jodie also showed her support for Tim by wearing a “Tim’s Army” shirt with a war cry against cancer on the back.

And then there’s her hair, which puts on a show of its own.

In fact, the flying hair is kind of a band trademark. Just watch drummer Nick Woods.

Even the new bass player, John Rogan, fits in well with his mane.

While Chris doesn’t have the hair, he is usually the easiest to photograph as he strikes all sorts of rock star poses with his red guitar.

All in all it was a fantastic show with six hours of music and hopefully a bunch of money raised for our friend Tim, who has given so much to the community since he and his wife Lisa moved here in the 1990s. Not only do they own the only record store between Las Vegas and Utah County, they in turn support other local businesses and organizations, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Southwest Wildlife Foundation and various local arts events. And then there is Groovefest, which has grown to become a massive event while still remaining free to attend. Now that Tim is undergoing treatment for his cancer, he and Lisa still need the support of the community. If you’d like to support Tim there are a variety of ways. The Cretsingers are still dependent on Groovacious for their income plus they regularly dig into their own pockets to fund Groovefest, so donations to that even can help. If you want to donate specifically for Tim’s cancer treatments, you can do so at any local Mountain America Credit Union or via this link.

]]>Yoga community mourns for Sheila Brownhttp://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/2014/01/19/yoga-community-mourns-for-sheila-brown/
Sun, 19 Jan 2014 20:16:34 +0000http://blogs.thespectrum.com/getlost/?p=779Continue reading →]]>I often meet dozens of new people each week with my job. Many of them have trusted me with their stories as I’ve written about their artistic achievements, their wartime valor, their actions of faith. They give me an hour or two of their lives as I take notes, then turn those notes into stories. Too often I tend to forget about them within a few weeks as I move on to new stories featuring new people.

Some subjects of my stories stand out in my memory, even if I don’t have a chance to see them again after the article is published. Sheila Brown was among them and it was with sadness that I learned of her passing on Saturday. Especially heartbreaking is her young age and the fact that she leaves behind a husband and young daughter.

Sheila and her husband, Jt, owned Be Hot Yoga Studio in St. George. According to a fundraising page for Sheila’s family at YouCaring.com, she became sick after acquiring pneumonia during an all-day yoga retreat in Las Vegas. The infection later entered her bloodstream and spread throughout her body. After a week in intensive care, she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, which led to her death early Saturday morning.

As with most wellness instructors, Sheila displayed a great desire to help people. The bond she formed with her students is obvious from the outpouring of love and sadness displayed on Facebook this weekend. Part of the reason I wrote the story about Be Hot Yoga in the first place was because she came so highly recommended.

The fundraising page says that in addition to losing a wife and mother, the Brown family still has the additional burden paying for the medical treatments they used to try and save Sheila’s life. Her supporters are asking for help to give back to the Brown family, which has brought so much to the community. They are asking for donations to the family in lieu of flowers. You can find more information here.

Although I never took up Sheila offer to try out a yoga class, I did observe her teaching when I wrote the article. While I did not participate, I still felt the peace and serenity she brought to the room while teaching. I could feel the depth of love she had for her craft. I wish I had taken the opportunity to get to know her better.

The following are excerpts from the story I wrote on Be Hot Yoga. It originally appeared in The Spectrum & Daily News in November 2012.

It’s 105 degrees in this room. Sweat is glistening in the dim light. Yet the atmosphere is one of tranquility.

Nearly 20 people are gathered at the Be Hot yoga studio in St. George this Thursday evening for a hot yoga class. The idea is to increase the health benefits of yoga by doing it in temperatures that range from 85 to 105.

“It’s a therapeutic heat,” says Be Hot co-owner and instructor Sheila Ilias Brown, likening it to a doctor applying heat to sore muscles.

In addition to the heat, four humidifiers run through the class, creating humidity that helps the students breathe. Sheila’s husband and Be Hot co-owner, Jt Brown, says the heat also helps the students warm up better, reducing the chance of pulling muscles.

In many cases the heat helps the students to achieve quicker results, Sheila says.

“It’s really, really hard but after the class you feel amazing,” she says. “It’s hard to understand unless you experience it yourself.”

As she begins the class, Sheila reminds the students to have fun, stay hydrated and take breaks as necessary. Then she encourages them to try and “get into the meditative state.”

Twilight fades outside as Sheila guides the students through various poses, her songlike instructions flowing as effortlessly as her more experienced students’ poses. A native of Bangladesh, Sheila’s slight accent lends an element of authenticity to the directions.

Lilting flute music is barely audible in the background while she walks among the students, gently adjusting their poses and paying special attention to the less-experienced students.

The poses call on the students to sit at times and to stand for others. At one point Sheila even turns off the dim lights and instructs them to lie down, relax and breathe. Instructions to breathe come often because the breathing is as important as the movement.

Although it’s a peaceful workout, it can be intense.

For Sheila, it’s part of the culture in which she was raised in eastern India, which later became Bangladesh. She says yoga there is as common brushing your teeth.